Loose leaf binder



May 22, 1934.

J. C. DAWSON LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Jan. 12, 1934 Patented May 22, 1934 PATIENT OFFICE LOOSE LEAF BINDER James (J. Dawson, Webster Groves, M0., assignor to Elma N. Dawson, Webster Groves, Mo.

Application January 12, 1934, Serial No. 706,398

2 Claims.

The invention relates to binders comprising a back carrying the sheet-holding mechanism, and side plates hinged thereto, rigid or semi-rigid followers being mounted on the sheet-carrying arches to facilitate the closing of the binder.

In binders of this ,type, especially those of considerable thickness, it has been found advisable to form the arch-receiving openings in the follower plates as transverse slots, the openings in the bound sheets being round. While the use of slots in the follower is desirable, and, indeed, essential to easy operation, it results in the mutilation of some of the bound sheets at their apertures.

This invention has for its object the overcoming of this disadvantage; and it consists in an intermediate follower lying against the inner face of the slotted follower, its arch-receiving apertures being round or substantially so.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a detail view in perspective of the binder in open position;

Figs. 2 and 3 are views in perspective, respectively, of the inner and outer follower plates.

The cover of the binder comprises the back section 10, and the side plates 11, 12, hinged thereto. The metal portions comprise a plurality of arches each formed of a pair of approximately half rings 13, 14, which are suitably mounted within a metal casing 15, the details of which are immaterial to the present invention but comprise some form of toggle joint carrier for the prongs, and spring means for controlling the toggle.

Followers 16, 1'7, are mounted upon the arches in advance of the application of the latter to the sheets to be bound. These followers are made of semi-rigid material, such as fibre board, and are transversely slotted, as shown at 18, to receive the prongs 13, 14, and preferably have notches, as 19, in their lower margins, in line with the slots, to further facilitate their movement along the arches in the closing action of the binder. The followers are moved, in the closing of the binder, by the side plates, as 11 or 12, and when the binder is open assume the position, with reference to the arches, shown in Fig. 1.

As the closing movement commences and is carried forward, these outer followers ride along the arches, their lower margins remaining in engagement therewith, and the notches 19 facilitating a pivotal movement with reference to the prongs, the follower, however, swinging toward the arches, with the result that the limp sheets have a tendency to enter the slots; and when this action occurs the paper is mutilated.

By the introduction of the inner followers 20, 21, having round apertures for receiving the arch prongs, and being interposed between the main followers and the bound sheets, the mutilation of the latter is prevented as these supplemental followers, which are also made of semi-rigid material, slide along the prongs, thus covering the slotted apertures and preventing the sheets from entering them, the outer followers, however, moving the same as before.

I claim as my invention 1. In a loose leaf binder, in combination, sheetcarrying arches, a stiff transversely slotted follower plate mounted on the arches, and a supplemental stiff follower plate carried by the arches in advance of the first-named plate, its apertures being of less diameter than the length of the slots.

2. In a loose leaf binder, in combination, sheetcarrying arches, a stiff transversely slotted follower plate mounted on the arches, and a supplemental stiff follower plate carried by the arches in advance of the first-named plate and having circular arch-receiving apertures of less diameter than the length of the slots.

JAMES C. DAWSON. 

